Waiterless restaurant



March 12, 1929. c. G. HALL 1,705,112

WAITERLEss RESTAURQNT Filed Aug. 17, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l March l2, 1929. HALL v 1,705,3l2

WAITERLESS RESTAURANT March 12, 1929. C, G, HALL y 1,1Os,1 12

WAITERLESS RESTAURANT medug. 17, 1927 5 sheets-sheer '3 //7 vzwa/f Char/e5 6. f/a// Patented Mar. 12,' 1929.

UNITED STATES CHARLES o; HALL, or Borsa, IDAHO.

'WAITERLEss RESTAURANT.

Application led August 17, 1927. Serial No. 213,714.

My-*invention is intended for use in restaurants, boarding houses, hotels, and any and allf'places'W-here articles of food and drink are to be served in quantities, and es- 5 pecially yin those .places where high rents are a factor in the food and drink prices and especially for use where a reduction in prices may be accomplished by the elimination of a substantial number of the employees. My invention comprises, primarily a series ofy platforms arranged in an endless series adapted to permit the same to carry articles of food and drink in display past a series of eating and drinking tables in such close proximity Ithat the customers may be able tol select such articles as they desire to purchase and personally remove the same and place the same upon the table, the table being so arranged that a fresh clean covering of strip material'may be secured by the customer and. when he has .finished with the repast todeposit the soiled articles and the scrap materials upon an endless belt or conveyor and the same are thereupon transported to a central place where they may be removed and reconditioned. By the use of my invention it is not essential that the preparation of the articles of foods should be prepared upon the same floor in which they are to be consumed but the prepared upon a floor above or elow the one in which the serving and sale areftlo be f made. Further objects of ,my invention consist of an endless series of platforms that remain in an approximate plane of the lsprocket wheels, one or more in number, at cach end, lie horizontal and in fixed relation to thejsprockets are guides, into which/,cross bars of the platforms pass; These guide races are so arranged, that the platforms are held approximately horizontal at all times.

Heating'elelnents are disposed below all,

or part, of the series o f platforms and heat the platforms by passing the electric current through the heating elements by the current picked up from electric conductors running along the line of travel of the endless disposed traveling platforms. Water may be taken from faucets connected to water lines adapted to being operated from ,the eating tables, the same being arranged to permit the surplus water drawn to drain vinto drain pipes from a depression disposed below.T each of the faucets.

land the construction of the same.

may be For amore complete description of my invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a typical plan of arrangement of an eating and drinking establishment wherein my invention has been installed and .wherein the preparation of the food mate-` rials `are shown to be on the same floor; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an .enlarged partial plan View illustrating the construction of the mechanism comprising the primar part -of my invention showing the parts 1n relation t0 each other` Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation, partial section View of the same mechanism. Fig. 5 is a 70 partial section, partial end'view of the same taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 6 is a partial section view taken along line 6 6 of Fig. 3 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. 7 is apartial side elevation of the race, or guide, for the passage of the cross bars that maintain the series of platforms in an approximate horizontal position as the same pass around the sprocket like wheels. Fig. 8 is a plan view of one of the moving platforms here shown detached from the belt arrangement, in this view is shown the tray like form of the 'same and which foi-insa panel depression into which may be placed the articles of food and drink to be displayed.v Fig. 9; Aisan end4 View, .showing in detail, the construction of one of thedisplay platforms and Fig. 10 is a section taken on line 10-10 of the parts shownin Fig. 9,'in the Figures 9 and 10` the electric heating element and the electric circuits, also, are shown and the contacts for conducting the electric current from ,y the conductors through `the heating element. Vvlhilc I have here shown the lheating element and disclosed a means for supplying electric current in certain of the moving display platforms, yet it may not be necessary to supply these heating elements to but a small number of them because certain of the foods require heat and others do not. This is because the food is supplied for but a short time only, sufficient for j the endless procession of platforms to complete one cycle of operation, when the same may be removed and again placed in the cooker or warmer.

. Fig. 11 shows themethod of supplying-running water to each of the tables and also the' 1 method of disposing of the overplus that center, which are secured to shafts 2 and which are caused to rotate when power is applied to driving pulley 3 by'means of a belt or other drivingl means. .This affords a rotation to the sprockets and at the same time drives the belts to which an endless series of platforms 4 are attached. rl`hese platformsare used for the display of articles of food and drink to be offered for sale. These platforms while operated in endless procession are secured, in pivotal manner, to endless belts and are made to remain in anapproximate horizontal position. lin

doing so articles of food and drink placed thereupon may 'be removed therefrom, at any point in their line of travel. platforms are not attached to' each other except hy the endless belts heretofore mentioned. 6 is a depending link-like arrangement having bars 5 and 7 attached thereto. These rollers engage a track or bed, and one being in advance of the other, and `on either side of the platforms hold the platforms in a horizontal plane during the travel of the platforms between the vertical center line passing through the sprockets, but as soon as the same turn past the vertical center line they must be held in a horizontal position by other means. To accomplish this result I have shown somewhat in detail the construction of my invention that accomplishes this result in section in Fig. 4. Two racelike guides are formed, semicircular in form,

and through which the rollers supported upon stub spindles enter the race and remain in position until the half circumference of the sprocket like drive wheels are traversed, at which they again travel along a horizontal track until the vertical center line of the sprockets on the oppositerend are reached at which point the operation is again repeated and the moving platforms are again held in horizontal position until the same are passed around a half circumference as the platforms move along the rollers 8 mounting the spindle 8a enters the raceway 11 and is held in locked position in its travel by the guide lates 10. '.As 'the platforms progress the orward one of the rollers 7 enters the guide race 12 and it is held in position by the guide plates 12a. Each of these lines cross the guide races and in order that no interference may pccur a break or ga is provided as is shown by springs 13 an 14 in Fig.'7. By providing these gaps with spring closures asjsho'wn the path of travel of the guide bearing rollers is inter These rupted 'and the platforms 2pass' on around thesprockets held `in a horizontal position whiledoing so. This gap in the race wa 12 occurs as shown in Fig. 4 at 12b and 1t is only necessary on theouter guide plate to have a spring at the crossing point of the roller to the 'guide race. To afford mobility to the display mechanism the same is journaled in bearings 16 that are secured to the beltvl'and are held together by the Across rod 17. These belts are endless and p ass around the sprockets at either end ofthe machine. The platforms that are to be used for holding the display trays are shown at 18 and have removable trays placed therein as shown at 9. v These trays have curled edges as shown at 20 that serve as handle means to afford easy handling ofthe trays. To carry electric current along the line of travel 'of the platforms l have provided electric cables 21 and 23 which carry electric current from an outside source, not here shown, to the point of use.. 24 and 25 are electric contact shoes or brushes that pick up the electric current and the same passes through the conductor 26 to the heating elements 27 thence through the conductor 28 back to the cable 23. These heating elements are placed under one or more of the moving platforms and are used 'to malntain the samein a warm Acondition durinr the period of 4display that occurs during the passage of the platforms past the eating table.

A series of eating tables are provided as shown at 29 these tables are parallel to, and in close proximity to the line of travel of the series of display platforms. These eating tables are supported by supportinv legs 30.`

ln order to provide a clean strip of material to serve as a table cloth I have provided two spools or drums from one of which the strip material is unwoundand onto the other the material is wound after use, these spools or drums are shown at 32 and 33 and the winding drum has a crank 33 for turning the same. When the strip material is completely used up a new one may be put on to replace the old one at which time the soiled one may be reconditioned, or thrown away. To make possible a complete service without waiters, ll have provided a means for` the customer having fresh water service at the tableilo piping; the Watergto each table and the further provision of a faucet at which the customer may draw his'personal requirements. The water service pipe is shown at 34 and a riser is provided at each table as shown at 35 the faucet as shownat 37, these drip basins are connected to a Waste pipe 38 that runs to a source of deposit where the same may be wasted. The disposition of the soiled dishes and refuse is accomplished by the placingof the same upon an endless carrier belt in constant motion. yThisv belt is shown at 40 and to prevent the articles placed thereupon from fallin ofll the conveyor belt runs in a trough like c annel 39 having side members 39a. I have shown an arrangement or Work-layout inthe drawings wherein the same is all on one floor with a artition 41 across the room and through which the endless series of platforms and the conveyor belts ass. 42 are the steam cookers and 43,

' 44 an 45 are the Work tables.v Inthis layout the Work-of the preparation of the food is all done vin close proximity to thedis lay platforms and the lendless. conveyor elts return the soiled articles. and the scrap ymaterial into the workroom also, Wherel the same may be reconditioned andthe Waste' material bedispose'd'of-without the aid of waiters in the .main dining room. `The cashier desk is shown at'46.

Having thus described my invention in such ldetail that any one skilled in the art could construct and operate the same, -I wish to make the following claims therefor 1. A waiterless' restaurant comprising a *series of display platforms adapted tobeing maintained in horizontalposition and journalled in bearings attached to endless. belts adapted to being driven lby `s rockets around which they pass, removab e tra s adapted to being held'in'placo-Within t e.`

display platforms, means for :maintaining heat beneath one or all of the display/plat-l l forms, a line of eating tables parallel to the line of travel of the display platforms, a water -service at each of the eatingtables and means for supplying a clean strip of' material transversely the eating tables,and a conveyor belt adapted t'o the removal of materials from the eating tables. Q

'2. A waiterless restaurant comprising a series of display taining removab e trays and `being held in Ihorizontal position as vcarriedin "endless material mounted upon spool like drumsand passing transversely the tab1esandmeans`for. `pullingfth'e,strip material ,across the table other, awaterlservice ateach'tableand piped-f procession past a series `of ad'acenteatinv tables, a conveyorbeltoperfate inatroug like channel adapted to having? de osited thereupon articles to becarriedfromt e elat`r` ing tables and depositsameatthe change off-- direction yof travel o f the'convey'or belt, strip and iunwindingj from onedrumv onto the means for i* 3. A waiterless n sprcketsadaptedto,beingdrivenan lbeing' a lmounted u'pon horizontalfaxles .-ing endless belts having jn)ur'n alled-jthAerei-,(1)

a 'series ofdisplay platforms carrying articles of lfood 'and drink.;V

play past a series eating tables acrosslwhich;

may be vdrawn strip material from onefspool" like drum upon another, water-f servl'c vat each'eating'table,aconveyor belt c "at platforms adaptedto-main-` each eating table, and means along the line of travel of the display platforms to maintain the same in horizontal position.

4. A Waiterless restaurant comprising a series of endless belts driven by two or more series of sprocket Wheels and adapted to being driven in endless procession, a series of disp-lay platforms journaled Within bear-y ings secured to the endless belts and adaptv`ed to being'held in yhorizontal position in relation -to the belts as driven, means forV maintaining heat .elements beneath one or more of the display platforms, eating tables-n along the line'of travel of the display platform, Work tables and a steam table adjacent one end of the line oftravel of the display platforms, and faconveyor belt adjacent thev eating tables driven in a trough like channel to l,maintain articles placed thereupon. f-

5.A Waiterless restaurant, comprising a. series of displayplatforms adaptedv to being maintained inhorizontal posit-ion and journaled vin bearings attached' to endless belts-*adapted to-being `driven by sprockets u around vvhich they pass, raceways adapted to maintain the platformy 1n a horizontal l `position when their direction of 'travel is lchanged, removable trays adapted to being held in placel within the display platforms,

Ameans for maintaining heat beneath one or -all of the display platforms, and a line of eating tables parallel to the line of travel of l the display platforms.

p 6. 'A Waiterless restaurant, comprising a series of display platforms adapted to being maintainedin horizontal position andjournaled in bearings attached to endless belts adapted to being driven by vs rockets around which they pass, raceways adapted to maintain the platforms ina horizontal osition when their 'direction of travel is c anged,

removable trays adaptedtoy being held in l place Withinthe display platforms, means formaintaining a heat element beneath one or all of the display, platforms, la line of eating tables parallel to the line of -travelof the display platforms, a Water service at each y.ofthe eating tables', and a conveyor `belt adapted to the removal of materials from the eating tables.- 1 f a'f-.means to-"supply electricicurrentlto said hea-ting elements; y' i' I u f BLA waiter-less4 restaurant, comprising a no l ,125 series of display' latforms adapted to main.-

tainingremovab e trays and being heldin;

ss'ionpast a' series of adjacent eatingfta les, eleetriclfuheatmg ,elements ma-intainedin, a

horizontal position as carried'in endless prof` f pluralityof said display platforms, a means to supply electric current to said heati1 ig 1 elements, a conveyor belt operated in trough like channel adapted to having cleposited thereu on articles to be carried ,from

the eating ta les and. deposit the same at y the change of direction of travel of the conveyor belt, a water service at each table, and piped means for carrying, surplus Water from the Water service.

9. A waiterless restaurant .comprising a series of display platforms adapted to maintaining removable trays and being held in horizontal position ascarried in endless procession past a series of adjacent eating tables, electric heating elements maintained in one or vmore of said display platforms,xa .means to supply electric current to -said heating elements, a. conveyorbelt operated in 'a trough like channel adapted to have deposited thereupon articles to be carried from the eating tables and deposit the same at the change 'of direction of travel of the conveyor belt, strip material. kmounted upon spool like drums and passing .transversely the tables 'and means for pull-l ing the strip material across the table and unwinding from 'one drum on -to the other, a water service at eachv table, and piped means .for carrying surplus Water from vthe Water service.; I

` CHARLES G. HALL. 

